"Personally, I do not know whether humankind is alone in this vast universe. But I do know that we should cherish our existence on this precious speck of matter... the greatest gift that could be bestowed upon us. For all practical purposes, there is only one planet Earth.”-Ban Ki Moon​The Miss Earth South Africa Leadership Programme is launching the #BigO2Challenge globally ahead of the United Nations COP21. The #BigO2Challenge was started by current Miss Earth South Africa, the 25-year-old Carla Viktor and 2015 Miss Earth Ambassador Milanie Cilliers during the Semi Finalist stage in the 2015 programme. It was started to encourage individuals, organisations, schools, and the general public to get involved and plant trees. No Tress = No Humans.

Now, Miss Earth South Africa 2015, Carla Viktor, has put out the challenge to Miss Earth Ambassadors around the world to plant a minimum of 21 trees on 9 November 2015, 21 days before COP21, the biggest Climate Change conference to date, the UNFCCC COP21 Paris.Climate Change will be the biggest challenge we face in our lifetimes, and it’s up to us to realize that we will be the catalysts for change that will push our countries towards a greener tomorrow. Planting a tree might seem like a simple act, but in effect it’s about being part of a global movement to secure a future for the generations to come.As the challenge launches globally Carla said, “Not only does it combat deforestation, it creates a sense of active participation and raises much needed awareness for this important cause, truly highlighting the fact that it does start with each and every one of us. I’m extremely excited to share this initiative with the Miss Earth ladies from all over the world, and I look forward to seeing how we all join hands to work towards our common goal of saving mother earth.” Carla will join approximately 100 Miss Earth Ambassadors from around the world for the 2015 Miss Earth event to take place in Vienna, Austria on Saturday 5, December. Follow the #Big02Challenge on social media @missearth_sa on twitter and instagram and on the Miss Earth South Africa Facebook page. Carla will be planting her 21 trees at a school in Johannesburg on Monday 9, November.